Masquerade Ball
by Fapertures
Summary: Amir and Sanjay are holding a ball in one month's time, and they want Mirasol to participate. The only problem is, she can't dance. She must visit their home twice every week for lessons with Sanjay. I hate the lack of Sanjay fanfiction/fanart out there ;-; I would have gone with Rio for the main character's name, but by the time I decided to upload this it was too late.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

A knock on Mirasol's door made her jump at the kitchen counter, where she'd been chopping tomatoes. She laid down the knife, wiped her hands on her shorts, and opened the door.

She was met with Amir's grinning face, a politely smiling Sanjay standing behind him.

"Oh," she said, surprised. What could these two be visiting her for? "Amir, Sanjay. Come in."

She forced a blush not to rise when she met Sanjay's eyes.

She ushered them into her small home, rushing off as they took a seat to prepare some tea. She was embarrassed at the size of her home-they must feel so cramped compared to the mansion they lived in. If only they had given her a warning!

Carrying a tray with her nicest china, she entered the living room. She passed around the cups, pouring the tea, and taking a seat across from the two men.

After taking a sip, Amir began. "Mirasol, Sanjay and I were thinking. In this town, we have nice festivals, neighborhood get-togethers, and all of those things. But we never have anything, well... Fancy. Everyone enjoys having a chance to put on their best clothes every now and then, right? We have nothing of that sort here." He paused, the excitement visible in his politely trained face. "What do you say in taking part in a masquerade ball?"

Mirasol had been shocked. Amir, an actual prince, had asked her to help host an actual ball. A _masquerade _ball, at that! Without thought, she'd nodded her head yes, and tried to keep up with all the details, Amir's excitement quickly rubbing off on her.

"It will be in a month's time," Amir had said. "We would like your help gathering resources such as flowers and stones for decoration, and some nice jewels from the mine, if you would. Sanjay will take care of passing out invitations in a week or so, and I'll work on the other organization details. If you ever get any ideas, feel free to come over and share." He grinned merrily at her.

Somehow, she had forgotten all about Sanjay's presence. She glanced up at him, to see that he was looking at her, studying her.

She looked down at her teacup quickly.

Then he began speaking, in the gentle voice she loved to hear so much. "You're forgetting one of the main details, Master Amir."

"Ah, yes!" Amir clasped his hands together, throwing an appreciative look at Sanjay, then looking back at her. "Do you know how to dance?"

Her excitement dissolved. Oh, yeah. You have to dance at balls. "Um... No."

Amir quickly waved it away, as if glad she had said no. "It's fine, it's fine. Luckily-" he grinned widely at his servant- "Sanjay here is one of the finest dancers I know. I would like for you to meet him at our home twice a week for the next month to practice up your dancing skills. He will teach you everything you need to know."

Her heart dropped even lower, sinking through a hole in her stomach she didn't even know existed. Oh, why did Fate insist on embarrassing her every chance it received? "Yes, Amir. I'll be happy to."

She'd chosen Wednesdays and Thursdays to meet at the two men's home.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow was Wednesday.

She dreaded it so much. She was so fearful, so self-conscious, so unconfident. All things men do not like in women.

She thought back to all her friends in the past, how they would saunter up to the boys they wanted and have them wrapped around their pinkies in days. Why hadn't she been blessed with such confidence?

She tossed and turned in bed, thinking back on all the occasions she had spent with Sanjay. She'd been living peacefully in her home before he and the prince had moved in, around three months ago. That had given her around a whole year's time to get comfortable and make friends. That, she had done. Allen, the hairstylist, was one of her closest friends. She loved Hanna like she was her own mother. She even wormed her way into Neil's extremely tight friendship circle, although she had no idea how. She'd never had any interest in the bachelors of the town. But when she had met Sanjay, she saw something in him. Maybe it was his grace, or his politeness. She had no idea. She just knew that she _wanted _him.

When they first met, she assisted him in moving all their belongings into the huge home. It took a couple days, so they eventually got to talking.

Sanjay had told her that he'd been an orphan as a child. He missed his homeland, but he liked the quietness of the small town. He enjoyed waking up early in the morning and waiting for his master to wake up.

Not only did she listen to him, but she watched him. He took such care with things. He was so gentle and kind-it radiated from him. Even though he was somewhat shy, when he got started, the conversation would drift along into pleasant dialogue.

And Mirasol? She was average. Average everything. Average height, average appearance. All her talents were simply average.

She never felt special. She'd always hoped that one day she would be.

Mirasol's eyes slowly opened, and she blearily glanced around her room. Morning light was filtering in through the window, leaving a blue tint to the white bed sheets.

_I'll be dancing with Sanjay today._

The thought jolted her upright. She glanced at the clock: 6:30. She was late.

What to wear? What to say? How to not make a fool of herself?

She hopped out of bed, rushing around the house, frantically brushing her teeth and her hair, pausing only to make sure it didn't look like a jumbled mess. She tore through her closet, finding nothing adequate, until finally she settled on a slightly form fitting T-shirt and light shorts.

Her nervousness took away her hurry. She drastically slowed down her pace as she made her way to Amir and Sanjay's home. After doing her chores of taking care of the animals and crops, she said hi to Dunhill as he made his morning stroll. She teased Allen about a stray hair. She waved to a grimacing Neil, pulling along his cart of animal supplies.

Inside the palace, Amir was looking through the blinds of the entrance room. "Sanjay!" he yelled.

Sanjay trotted around the corner to stand next to his side. "Yes, Master Amir."

"Mirasol is coming. Open the door for her and do what I told you." He straightened up to look his servant in the eyes. "Come across as cool and confident. You'll be fine, Sanjay. If it is meant to happen, it will happen."

Mirasol's heart pounded as she made her way up the stairs. She stared at her feet, watched them go from porcelain stair to porcelain stair. She ran her eyes over her legs, making sure she hadn't missed any spots shaving. When she glanced up, she was surprised to see the grand door opening, Sanjay stepping outside to greet her.

"Hello, Miss Mirasol."

"Hi, Sanjay."

"Would you like for me to get you anything before we begin?"

"No, thank you. I appreciate it though." She attempted a small smile.

"Okay. This way."

He led her through the high ceilinged rooms, past white sculptures and huge paintings, and down one staircase. She began to feel incredibly underdressed.

Finally, they reached the end of the long walk. "This," he said, opening the door, "is the ball room."

Mirasol gasped. It was exactly like any fairytale ballroom you could dream of.

The staircase they stood atop curled on the sides, spilling out onto the floor. Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, giant quartz pillars balancing down the sides of the room. Her shoes clicked on the stone floor that had been polished so clean she could see her reflection.

"Wow," she breathed.

Sanjay looked over at her, memorizing the features of her appalled face. Her hazel eyes. Her dark auburn hair. The light freckles that danced across her pale skin. Her pink lips.

He realized he was staring.

"Ready to begin?"

She took a breath. Swallowed. Then, nodded her head.

They walked side by side down the staircase, Mirasol holding onto the rail to steady her clumsy nature. When they reached the bottom, he held out his hand to her, palm up.

Hoping he didn't notice her shaking, she carefully placed her hand in his.

Suddenly, he was pulling her toward him, her hand caught in his grip. His right arm slipped around her back, encircling her waist. He pressed a firm hand to the small of her back, bringing them together. Mirasol's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes came up to his jawline—she could smell his cologne.

"Your arm goes on my shoulder."

His voice was like poetry.

"Mirasol?"

The way his lips moved was mesmerizing.

"Miss Mirasol?"

She was brought back to the present by the feel of him pulling slightly away from her. She quickly placed her hand on his shoulder, ducking her head to hide her burning cheeks. "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm just… tired."

Sanjay worried. Was she uncomfortable being this close to him?

He continued anyway, beginning to move around. "I'm the leader. All you need to do, is follow my movements. It should come natural—oh, no—no, that's okay, it happens—just, focus less. Don't think about it. Just follow what I do."

Mirasol's heart was pounding. She was sure he could hear it, and her cheeks were so flushed it was bringing tears to her eyes. How embarrassing. She'd already trodden on his foot twice, and couldn't quite get his swaying movements to match with her stepping.

She stared down at her feet, praying that she might actually step in the right direction or move with the right pattern. She kept opposing him, cutting off the stride he had going. She felt as if she was making it difficult on him.

After a little while longer of the "dancing", Sanjay stopped. "Well, Mirasol, I think that's enough for today. You've done pretty well. I'll see you back here tomorrow."

He walked her to the door, offered her a smile, and watched her on her way.

He thought about her for the rest of the night. While he prepared dinner for Amir, his thoughts drifted to the way her hand felt in his. As he fiddled with the food on his plate, he imagined how their dancing could go tomorrow. And while he lay down, trying to sleep, he wondered if she was thinking of him as well.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Sanjay stood at the door, awaiting Mirasol's arrival. Over and over he brushed his hands through his white hair. He straightened his robes. He licked his lips, shuffled his feet.

One minute had passed since he last looked at the clock.

He sighed nervously, thinking back to the way she'd gone off into some sort of reverie while dancing with him. Was it good, or bad? Had she been thinking of ways to get away from him? To have Amir teach her instead?

The thought actually hurt him. That must be it… why would she go for a mere servant, when there was a prince so close by?

He stared at his feet, eyebrows knitted together.

Mirasol's knocking at the door startled him. He jolted open the door, a little too quickly, and stumbled backward a step or two. For the thousandth time, he ran his fingers through his bangs. He blushed profusely. "Hello, Miss Mirasol."

"Hi, Sanjay."

They carried on exactly as they had the day before, with the offering of anything to eat or drink, then him leading her through the mansion.

Once again, he offered her his hand. When she placed her hand in his, he hesitated a moment to draw her into him, looking her in the eye, searching for a trace of interest, revolt, anything. He just needed to know how she felt.

But she wouldn't look at him.

He pulled her close, arm around her waist, hand in hand.

"Just like yesterday, focus on what I'm doing. Just let our movements flow together."

She danced just like a new beginner, but she had potential. He felt her choppy movements, her attempted sways, and ignored it when she stepped on his foot. Today, though, he was the unfocused one. He was just so confused.

Suddenly, he stopped dancing, and dropped her hand. "Mirasol."

She looked up at him, pink in her cheeks.

"I see it in your shoulders. You're too tense. How about we have some tea?"

He took her by the wrist, leading her upstairs to the kitchen. She sat at the granite countertop. When he placed the teacup in front of her, she sipped happily, enjoying the smooth, herbal taste. She could feel it unwinding her, loosening her up. Somehow, she felt more confident.

"You're a great dancer," she said without looking at him.

He stood across from her with his hands resting against the countertop. He raised his own cup to his lips, taking a sip. "Thank you. I learned from Amir."

Mirasol chuckled at the thought of Amir holding Sanjay the way he had held her, especially because Sanjay was taller than the prince.

When they were finished with tea, he said, "Shall we try again?"

With confidence, Mirasol nodded her head.

Back in the ballroom, Sanjay and Mirasol were slowly swaying this way and that across the floor, Mirasol clumsily bumping into him only every so often. Sanjay found himself smiling, and when he glanced down to see Mirasol's face, he saw that she was wearing a content smile herself.

"You're doing much better than yesterday," he said. "You'll be passing me up soon, Miss Mirasol."

She looked up at him and happily said, "That's only because you're a good teacher."

Across the ballroom, poking his head through the door, Amir's face broke into a huge grin. They were smiling at each other! They looked like a couple already!

He was so excited, he could only stand there gripping the door handle so hard his knuckles turned white. Sanjay was his best friend, and the way he had seemed for the past few weeks… It was obvious he needed something to look forward to every day.

He thought back to when it all started.

"What's wrong, Sanjay?" Amir had asked over their traditional cup of afternoon tea.

His olive skinned friend had sighed in response, setting down his teacup. He looked downcast at his shoe. "I'm not sure, Master Amir."

Amir had tilted his head, eyeing his friend. "You seem so down. I don't like seeing you this way." After a pause, he added, "And your tea doesn't taste as good when you're upset."

Sanjay seemed as if he hadn't even heard the last remark.

What's wrong with him? Amir thought to himself. Has he lost something? Is he sick? Does he need something? Then the idea came to him. "Sanjay!"

His servant jumped, startled. "Amir! Are you alright?!"

"Sanjay! I know what you need." A mischievous grin played across his lips.

"What do I need?"

Amir stood, placing his hands on Sanjay's shoulders. "You, sir, need a girlfriend. We will begin our search tomorrow. Be up by eight."

The next morning, by eight thirty, Amir and Sanjay walked along the path, weaving in and out of the shops, strolling along through the town.

Amir gestured to Tina, to which Sanjay took a glance and shook his head.

He threw a glance at Sanjay as Felicity walked by, to which Sanjay shrugged his shoulders.

Michelle passed, twirling a pink stick in the air. The two men didn't need to say anything.

Then, walking along the path that ran through the forest, they came across a fishing Mirasol. She'd had her back turned to them, casting out a line into the stream. She was surrounded by the flowers and foliage of Spring, petals floating through the air. The scene was beautiful.

Amir stopped midsentence, and midstep, and threw out an arm to stop Sanjay from continuing. He studied the oblivious woman for a moment, then said, "It's her, Sanjay. It's got to be her."

When he looked at Sanjay, his friend was looking at her with hope and fear.

"Don't worry, Sanjay." Amir said. "I'll help you. I've been in relationships before. You'll be fine."

Sanjay couldn't be too sure.

And now here Amir stood, watching the two twirl around the ballroom, smiling, looking each other in the eyes. He might as well throw off the ball and make room for a wedding.

Although, he had did certain intentions for the ball.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were uneventful days for Mirasol. She tended her animals, watered her crops, and sat around the house when she had nothing to do. She made several attempts at picking up some of her old favorite books, but her mind kept wandering. She couldn't stay focused. She was filled with the urge to get up and move, as if she had some driving energy in her limbs.

_ Is this why people like dancing so much?_ She asked herself. _Is this what it does to you?_

She sat on her bed, an Ellen Hopkins book resting against her stomach. _Wonder what Sanjay's up to… _

_ Stop. He isn't interested._

Before she could think too long about it, she hopped up and was out the door. She passed her beehives and her crop plots, and the barn. She followed the path all the way past Hanna's shop, past Neil's house, and to Allen's salon, where she barged inside and ran up the stairs.

Allen was sitting at the table, looking over a bowl of herb soup.

Mirasol helped herself to a bowl, seating herself across from him. She shoveled soup into her mouth, Allen watching without a word. He sat back in his chair, hands folded in his lap, awaiting an explanation.

He never got one. When she'd finished her bowl, she pushed it away from her, and laid her head down on the table.

He reached over and patted her head. "Hey, Mirasol. Tell me what's wrong."

She answered him with "Umph."

"Hm?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

Allen checked his watch. "You know there's a flower festival today at twelve, right?"

She lifted up her head. "No."

"Will you come with me?"

"Yes."

Allen and Mirasol paced through the grass, waiting on the festival to begin. Villagers milled around, chatting with each other, discussing flowers and fragrances. A stray dog trotted around the grounds.

Neil eventually made his way over to the two, looking unhappy. "I don't know why I visit these festivals."

"Because you want to see your two best friends," Allen joked.

Mirasol smiled, distracted once again. Would Sanjay be coming today?

Neil and Allen started up a conversation on swimsuits and wives, although Mirasol had a hard time paying attention. Why did she keep thinking about Sanjay? Why couldn't she get over the fact that he was simply dancing with her because his master told him to do so? Why was she still even thinking about it?

Neil was saying something along the lines of, "Why would I want to see her in a swimsuit?" when she broke in.

"Guys, I need to talk to you about something."

They both paused and looked at her, as if just remembering she was there.

She sighed before beginning, glancing around. "This isn't the greatest place… whatever. I, um. Well, guys. I sort of… I need to get this off my chest." she looked at the two. Why was she even telling them? They're guys. They won't understand, or even care! "Uh, ah, nevermind."

Allen spoke up. "No, Mirasol. I want to know what's bothering you."

Neil chuckled. "Actually, I don't really care."

Mirasol ignored the comment. "Well, it's just… I don't know how to say it. I'm nervous. I've never had this happen to me before."

Neil interrupted. "I know what it is."

She looked at him, crossing her arms. "What is it then?"

"Pfft. It isn't like your googly eyes aren't noticeable, Mirasol. You've got a crush on Sanjay. It's fine. I don't know why you're so worked up over it."

Allen and Mirasol's eyes widened. As Allen gasped, Mirasol screeched, "Shhhh! Neil!"

Neil crossed his arms. "What?"

"You do?" Allen was grinning.

"Guys, quiet down!" she whispered frantically, glancing around. No one had noticed them, but Dunhill was approaching the competitor's platform. "I'll talk to you about it later." She tugged on Allen's sleeve, leading him to a bench in the back row, leaving Neil to find a seat himself.

He was still grinning when they sat down. "Mirasol, I _totally _support you. He has the _nicest _hair. I've been waiting for the day he comes in and asks for a cut."

As Dunhill made his speech at the podium, Mirasol tuned him out, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She hoped Neil or Allen wouldn't say anything. But guys don't care about that kind of thing, right? Even though she sometimes questioned Allen's sexuality, she was sure he wouldn't spread it anywhere. She was almost a hundred percent sure Neil would have forgotten by tomorrow.

Suddenly Allen nudged her. "Your man just arrived, but without His Royal Highness."

Mirasol glanced up, excitement filtering into her stomach, as she watched the man take a seat three rows ahead of where she and Allen sat. She also noticed Neil sitting on the same row, who after noticing Sanjay's entrance, turned to wink at her.

She stuck an angry tongue out at him. She glanced around for Amir, past the heads behind her, around the half-hearted decorations strung around the place, but couldn't see him. It was rare to see one without the other in public. What could he be doing?

The contestants stood as Dunhill finished his speech, although there was no longer any hope that Mirasol would pay them any mind. She was busy staring at the back of one man's head, wondering just what was going through it at that moment. Had he noticed her sitting here? Had he seen that she was sitting with Allen, and been jealous?

Ah, those thoughts again. She shoved them away, trying to force away the unhappy feeling that came with knowing Sanjay would never go for her.

Sanjay's heart had leapt when he'd noticed Mirasol in the crowd of people at the Flower Festival. He wasn't so happy to see that she had gone with a male, however, Sanjay was mostly sure he was homosexual anyway. He'd half hoped the two would notice him and come over to say hello, although by the time it was over, Sanjay was on his own, looking around for someone to speak to.

It was awkward, being a foreigner, as he had never made many friends. Honest, Mirasol and Amir were the two he was closest to in the town.

He stole a glance backward from where he stood, to see Allen, Neil, and Mirasol deep in conversation on the other side of the grounds. What could they be talking about?

"Hello, Sanjay."

Sanjay turned around to see little Miss Hanna hobbling over to him, a sweet smile on her face. He smiled warmly back to her. "Good afternoon, Miss Hanna."

"Where is Master Amir?" she asked.

"Ah, home," he replied, looking around, forcing his eyes not to fall on Mirasol.

Suddenly, Hanna took the sleeve of Sanjay's robe firmly in her hand, and yanked him down toward her. She brought her face close to his and stared intensely into his eyes. "I've seen you looking at Mirasol."

His eyes widened. "What? No—"

She nodded, smiling. "Yes. I want to tell you, keep up your hope. I can't guarantee you anything, but I see potential." She tapped her temple with an old, wrinkled finger. "I know these things. Women have a sort of telepathy, you know." She let go of his sleeve, patting his bicep warmly before turning and walking off.

Sanjay's heartbeat strengthened. _Thank you, Hanna, _he thought, as he turned to begin walking home.

He risked one last look at the farmer the he hoped would one day be his, to see her eyes adjust in the slightest in his direction. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Sanjay was sure. It had to be her. It had to be.

Then Allen nudged her, and she broke their gaze to turn and head home.

Mirasol shuffled along the path with Allen by her side, chatting about scissors and razors.

She didn't know how to tell him about her feelings for Sanjay. She wasn't sure if he'd understand. But she had to try.

"Allen, would you mind if we hung out for a bit? I'd like to talk to you about the whole…" she glanced at him carefully. "_Dude _thing."

Allen laughed. "Sure, Mirasol. You can stay for dinner."

They walked back to the salon, climbing the stairs and taking seats at his table. Mirasol began as soon as she'd figured out how to say it.

"Allen, I really like Sanjay. I mean, I _really _like him. But I don't think he likes me."

Allen nodded. "You know, this is a very common misconception between two people looking to date. It could be both of you are interested but you're too focused on hiding it. I know just what you need to do. You've got to show him your feelings. Subtly, but enough to where he'll know." He chuckled. "Guys can be pretty dense sometimes."

Mirasol laughed, although she wasn't feeling any better. What if she showed Sanjay her feelings and it turned out he didn't feel the same?

Allen leaned forward and patted her hand gently. "You'll be fine, Mirasol. I saw him glance at you once or twice. At least you know he finds you physically intriguing."

Why didn't that make her feel any better?

At the exotic mansion, Sanjay was in trouble.

"Sanjay! I'm disappointed in you."

Sanjay sighed. "I know."

Amir waved his hands in the air. "Is it really that hard to speak to a woman? All you could do was_ look_ at her?"

He hung his head. "Yes."

"You're going to lose her, Sanjay. Another man is going to come around and snatch her up if you don't do it now."

He didn't reply. What could he say? Being a servant, he was used to having to speak to people. But he couldn't speak to this one woman.

"Listen to me. You're an attractive man. You're foreign. Exotic. You live with a prince. What is there not to like?"

"My personality."

Amir recoiled, giving him a somewhat horrified look. "Sanjay, are you serious? You've got the personality all women look for in a guy. Charming, sweet. You're quiet and gentle in a good way. I _know _she wants you, it's just the both of you are chickens."

"You can't know that."

"I can. Now you listen to me. When she comes over this Wednesday, I will be watching. That's all I'm going to say. Be prepared."

Sanjay was even more scared now. As he waited at the front door for Mirasol's arrival, he imagined the scenarios Amir might have planned for the two today with a look of horror on his face. He almost wanted to force himself to throw up in order to get out of it.

Maybe that would even make him feel better.

_Knock knock. _Too late.

He opened the door with a cheerful smile that hid so much. "Hello, Miss Mirasol."

"Hi, Sanjay."

They made their way to the ballroom, carrying themselves the same way as the previous lessons. Although, when Sanjay opened the door for Mirasol to enter the ballroom, he heard Amir call, "Hello, Mirasol. I thought I would stop in on your dance lesson today, to see how you're doing."

Sanjay entered behind Mirasol, shooting looks at Amir. Amir smiled defiantly back.

"It's good to see you, Amir," Mirasol said. "Try not to laugh too hard."

Sanjay could see him forcing down an even bigger grin. "Oh, I won't."

What tricks did he have up his sleeve?

Sanjay and Mirasol took each other's hands, and began swaying, stepping, and half-twirling. She'd gotten down the patterns fine by now, and knew when to move where. It was just the flow that was getting her, now.

After a few minutes, Amir stood, clapping. "Very nice, very nice! How about I go ahead and call _Dancing With The Stars_?" He had to bite his tongue not to add, _Or Dirty Dancing._

Mirasol laughed.

"How about you guys try something new? A little more… interesting, shall we say?"

Neither Mirasol or Sanjay said anything, both being hesitant over the situation.

Continuing, Amir said, "Sanjay, add the dip and the twirl please. I'd like to see it."

Mirasol looked awkwardly to Sanjay for help.

"It's okay, you won't have to do anything," he said, with more confidence than he felt. "I won't let you fall. Just hold on to me."

The assumed their positions, and began dancing. Amir watched, the flow still a little off, but very much improved since the last week's lesson. Although, as he studied their bodies, he realized something.

He held up a hand. "Stop."

They stopped, without parting.

"Don't move."

Amir walked over to the two, looking them up and down, studying. Then, matter-of -factly, said, "You're not close enough. Hold her like a man, Sanjay."

Sanjay was used to having to hide his irritation, but this was much more difficult. Did Amir have any idea what he was putting on the line here? Although his face showed nothing but calm, his eyes were shooting lasers straight for Amir's plotting brain.

Mirasol felt Sanjay's arm tighten around her waist, until their hips were pressed together. She was blushing profusely, willing her hand to not get sweaty. Through Sanjay's tan complexion, she thought she glimpsed a red tint as well. He wouldn't look her in the eye.

Good signs, or bad?

"Sanjay, back straight. Straighter. Little more. Good. Now, Mirasol, you need to lean back just a tiny bit, but you and Sanjay must remain… pressed together." He smiled, making a clasping motion with his hands.

After they were done adjusting, Amir said, "Good, continue. And be sure to add the dip and the twirl."

When she felt Sanjay's movements begin to change through their dancing, and he lifted her hand above her head, letting loose her waist, she knew what to do. She'd seen it in the movies.

Amir watched, grinning wide. If only he could take a picture to show Sanjay later.

Mirasol was surprised that, when he'd lassoed her back into him, he dipped forward, forcing her to lean back and let him do the work. She took a glance backward and caught a glimpse of Amir's huge smile.

_Jeez, _she thought. _You'd think he just got asked to visit the queen of England._

When he brought her back up, she couldn't help but smile at him. "That was cool," she said.

He looked her in the eye, smiling back. "Very good."

Amir clapped his hands together once again. "Yes, very nice, very nice. Shall we take a break?"

They all went to the sitting room, Sanjay trotting off to prepare some tea. While Amir and Mirasol waited they sat in the sitting room, Amir striking up conversation.

"Have you ever been to a ball before?"

Mirasol shook her head. "Sadly, no. But this one will definitely be interesting. Thank you again for allowing me to help you host."

Amir nodded. "Sanjay and I both think of you as a good friend of ours. You were one of the first people we met here."

At that moment, Sanjay entered the room, carrying a tray of tea. He passed out the cups, pouring the tea, adding sugar when asked to. When he finally settled down to drink his own tea, Amir said, "I have an idea, if you both have no plans for the rest of the day."

Sanjay made a point of not looking at his master.

"Mirasol, you could assist Sanjay in passing out the invitations for the ball. If you both begin after your tea, you could be done quite early. Does that sound fine, Sanjay?"

"Yes, that sounds fine, Master Amir."

"Yes, that'll be okay," Mirasol said. "I didn't have plans."

"Great!" Amir stood, pulling out a small bag from somewhere behind his chair. "There's about thirty or forty invitations here. Be sure to tell everyone that if they'd like to invite anyone else, they'd be welcome to."

Sanjay had to be thankful for what Amir was doing for him, although it was difficult. He wanted it to not be so obvious that Amir was setting them up, and by now it was definitely seeming suspicious from the outside. Surely Mirasol knew something was going on. To go to her for the ball made sense, considering they honestly hadn't made many friends, but all of this? He couldn't be so sure.

Nevertheless, he couldn't deny his master's orders. And he couldn't deny that he did have fun when he was with the farmer.

"Okay," Mirasol said, reading the names on the first few invitations. "First up, we have Charles and the travel agency group. Since that's around Hanna, Allen, and Neil, we can go ahead and get those knocked out of the way." She fished out their invitations, putting them in order.

When Sanjay knocked on the door and Charles answered, he seemed somewhat surprised to see the two together. When Mirasol explained the event, he seemed excited. "I'm sure my wife would love to go to this with me," he said. "Thank you."

Next up, Hanna's. Sanjay was sort of nervous to see Hanna, hoping she wouldn't suggest anything, but when the two walked in the door she acted as if it was totally normal. "Ah, Mirasol and Sanjay! Two of my favorite people." She gave the two of them a hug. "What do you two need?"

Mirasol handed her the invitation. "You're invited to Amir's masquerade ball."

Hanna's face brightened, and Mirasol tried to picture her around thirty years younger. She must have been such a great woman, as she still was today. "I know just who to bring!" She shuffled off toward a phone in the corner.

Next they approached Allen's house. Mirasol couldn't help but smile with the way Allen looked at her when he saw who she was with.

"Sanjay! Hey, how are you? Haven't seen you in a while. You two come in."

They went inside, standing around the counter. It was Allen's business day, so he had an apron on. Mirasol handed him an invitation, mentioning that Sanjay was teaching her how to dance.

Sanjay noticed the gleam in Allen's eye when Mirasol mentioned it. "Really? Think you could give me some lessons too, Sanjay?" Allen laughed.

_Yep, _Sanjay thought. _Definitely homosexual._

"Yeah, I'd love to go to this. I'll put on my best clothes and see if any young lass wants to join me." He smiled, and Sanjay and Mirasol went on their way.

"No, he isn't gay," Mirasol whispered to Sanjay on their way out the door.

For the rest of the day, they continued to pass out invitations, explaining and answering questions. Everyone seemed generally excited for the event, except for Dunhill, who seemed somewhat displeased with the fact that they'd organized an event without him. He said something about seeing if he could find anyone to join him.

As they walked away from Klaus' clinic, Mirasol opened up the small bag. "Well, I think that's it. Funny, Amir made invitations for you and I." She handed Sanjay a small white card, with elegant red writing on it reading, "You're invited to Amir's Masquerade Ball". She tucked her own safely inside the bag.

Sanjay looked at it a moment, before gazing off into the sky. The sun was going down, casting pinks and purples along the clouds. "Shall I walk you home?"

"Yes, that would be nice," she replied.

They walked in silence. Sanjay studied the surrounding area, having not come down to the farm often. Bees buzzed about near the entrance, where her beehives were set up, and farther down the path he could see the fenced-in barn. To the left of her home was a chicken coop.

At the door, Mirasol turned to him, looking at her feet. "Well, I had a good time today. I'll see you again tomorrow." She handed him the invitation bag.

Before he could bid her farewell she'd turned and ducked into her home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, thanks for the two reviews I received since first posting this! I really appreciate it. **

**One side note, I began this in Microsoft Word, and I've noticed that it changes the layout using the copy-paste method of uploading new chapters. So, I'm sorry, but it might seem weird when it switches from Mirasol's point of view to Sanjay's.**

**Thanks again for reading!**

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Mirasol began to prepare herself dinner the moment she'd walked in the door, to give her hands something to do. She quickly began mindlessly dicing tomatoes and throwing them into a bowl, for a salad. She chopped up lettuce, adding some carrot slivers.

She narrowly avoided chopping her finger off once or twice.

When she was done, she stared into a bowl of thin green salad leaves, squishy, horribly sliced tomatoes, with two or three half-hearted croutons strewn about the top, and flimsy carrot slivers sprinkled around.

The sight of it made her burst into tears.

She stared down at the salad, her tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping off her nose into the bowl. Why was everything so difficult? So confusing?

She had no idea why she was crying. She dumped the salad into the garbage, throwing herself onto her bed. She had no energy to pull the covers up around her. She laid there, curled into a ball, feeling extremely heavy.

_ Why am I still here? What am I living for? _

Sanjay stood next to the entrance door, no longer allowing nervousness to ebb into his belly. He'd had some of his favorite tea, and even a cup of coffee, and was feeling confident. After all, Mirasol had mentioned having a good time with him the day before.

It had his mood soaring.

After an unusual amount of time of waiting, he began to wonder where she was. He checked the clock on the wall: 8:30. She was thirty minutes late.

Around five minutes later, Amir shuffled into the entrance room in his sleep robes. He rubbed his eyes, yawning. "Is Mirasol not here yet, Sanjay?"

"No, Master Amir." He looked at the young prince. "Shall we worry?"

Amir pulled back the first layer of his hair and tied it at the back of his head. "Not now. If she hasn't called by nine, we can check up on her."

Sanjay still stood by the door at nine. Amir, having changed into his day robes, strolled into the room.

"Hm," he said, looking to his servant. "Have you possibly missed the phone? Surely she'd have called by now."

Sanjay looked behind him, to the phone sitting five feet away on a table next to the door. "No, Master. I would have heard it."

"Hm," he said again, thinking. "Should this be cause for concern?"

"I don't know."

"Well, how about we go see?"

Sanjay nodded his head and waited on Amir to put on his shoes, before leaving for the woman's home. The both of them considered all of the possibilities; Sanjay's thoughts ranging from murder to a house fire, Amir simply thinking she'd forgotten to set the alarm.

When they approached her home, they noticed her red-haired friend knocking angrily on the door.

When they were near, Allen said, "I've been trying to contact her since around 8:30, when I didn't see her on the way to your home. I've called and called, and she hasn't answered. Has she spoken to you?"

The two shook their heads.

Sanjay's heart was leaping, while Amir stayed calm. "Maybe she isn't in there?" Sanjay suggested.

"Where else would she be?" Amir asked.

"I don't know, but she isn't in the barn or the coop. I looked." Allen shook his head.

"I suppose we couldn't…" Amir paused, unsure if the suggestion was acceptable. "Get… _in, _could we?"

"Sure we can." Allen smirked. "If either of you feel like smashing one of the windows and crawling through, be my guest."

Sanjay and Amir looked at the man, unamused.

Allen's smirk disappeared. "Joking, of course." He bent over, lifting up a watering can that sat in the grass right off the porch of the home. Underneath was a key, which he lifted up to show pointedly to the two men. He unlocked the door, and Sanjay and Amir followed him inside.

The house was dark, save for the morning light filtering in through the windows. Allen switched on the light.

The three men immediately looked to the bed, where Mirasol lay, exactly as she had when she fell asleep. None of them moved.

"Does this happen often?" Amir whispered.

Allen shook his head. "She's always up by at least seven."

Allen was the first to take a step toward her, and when he did, the other two followed. They all approached her bed, looking down on her somewhat fearfully. Something was wrong. She'd gone to sleep in the same clothes she'd worn yesterday. Sanjay's heart did a somersault as soon as he saw that she was actually breathing, but it didn't ease the fear in his gut. Her normally smooth, lively skin had gone a flat color, a sort of sheen covering her body. Her hair stood out in extreme contrast, laid out haphazardly on the pillow. Her breaths were shallow, inhaling and exhaling quickly through her slightly parted lips.

Allen gently placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a small shake. "Mirasol."

When she didn't stir, he did it again, saying her name a bit louder.

By the third shake, he was practically yelling her name.

Finally, after a moment, she began stirring. Her eyes opened. She sat up quickly, having been startled, sitting up and pushing herself away from the men. "Wh-what—"

"Shh, shh, Mirasol. Calm down. Are you okay? Were you sick last night?" Allen attempted to gently push her back down onto the bed.

She complied, lying back and resting her head on the pillow. Sanjay had his hand to his mouth, biting his finger. Amir watched in silence.

She wasn't looking good.

"No?" she said. "What time is it?"

"It's nine thirty, Mirasol. I think you need to go to the doctor. You... You look like shit." He added the last part with a nervous laugh.

She put a stubborn look on her face. "No."

Allen took her hand, attempting to lure her upward. "Yes."

"No, Allen. I'm fine." She didn't move.

"Mirasol, yes. The three of us will go with you and you'll be okay."

She looked up at Amir and Sanjay, as if seeing them for the first time.

_When did they get here…?_

Then Allen's voice echoed in her head. _You look like shit._

With a gasp she threw herself onto her side, facing the opposite direction. She fumbled for the blankets and threw them over her body.

"No need to be so feisty," Allen said, giggling.

Mirasol was angry. "No one is going to wake up happy to see three men staring down at her watching her sleep!"

It had taken some time and effort from all three of the men, but eventually they'd gotten Mirasol up and willing to go to the doctor. To everyone's dismay, upon standing, she'd stumbled forward and nearly collapsed into Allen's arms, feeling very lightheaded. She'd had to sit back on the bed for a moment and sadly admitted that she wasn't feeling very good, at all.

"So, since she can't walk, how will we get her there?" Amir asked.

"Piggy-back would do," Allen said, looking pointedly at Sanjay.

Sanjay looked as if he'd been told to yodel in front of a crowd of people.

Mirasol glared at Allen. "How about you do it, Allen? Put your muscles to the test?"

He scratched his head, sighing. "Whatever, fine."

He crouched next to the bed as Mirasol hoisted her legs onto the side, hooking her arms around his neck. He stood, somewhat wobbly, but was able to walk fine. She'd considered making retching noises in his ear, but didn't for fear that he would drop her.

The quartet made their way to the doctor's office. People strolling around the town gave them funny looks, a couple of tourists taking photos. Neil hooted from the door of his home. Allen laughed it off, and Mirasol hid her face in his hair.

Sanjay was afraid for Mirasol. What if it was serious?

After some time, they reached Klaus' office. The sour doctor scowled at them as they entered the door, asking just why they hadn't allowed her to walk there herself, and after their answer, asked why she needed three different men to assist her.

He brought them all into one office, where Sanjay and Amir stood cramped in a corner while Mirasol laid down on the table and Allen sat in a chair next to the doctor's stool. Mirasol grimaced as Klaus checked her vitals, pressed a stethoscope to her chest, and shut her eyes while he took some of her blood.

After it all was over Klaus concluded the visit by prescribing her some medicine, saying it was a mild case of the flu and she should not do much work for the next three to four days. "If the problem persists, check back with me immediately." The look he gave them said, _Don't let the problem persist._

Mirasol positioned herself on the edge of the table, looking at Allen to position himself to allow her easily onto his back.

He looked back at her and put his hands in the air defensively. "I'm just a lowly hairstylist," he said. "I'd much appreciate it if one of you would carry her back." He turned and winked at Amir.

Amir was quick to catch on. "That would be fine, Allen. But as you see, I'm just a lowly prince. The only lifting I do is when I drink tea. My servant, on the other hand, does all my lifting for me." He turned with that huge grin on his face, looking at his best friend. "Would you do the honors, Sanjay?"

Allen grinned down at Mirasol, who gave him such a harsh glare, he thought he felt heat radiating from her.

"Yes, Master Amir," Sanjay said. Amir could see the muscles working behind his eyes. "That would be fine."

He placed himself in front of Mirasol, stooping in front of her. She slid forward, slowly, afraid that he would think of her as weighing too much. Her face burned, and she ducked her head forward to hide it with her hair. She hooked her arms around his neck, finally allowing all of her weight on him, her torso pressed to her back, her chin resting on his shoulder. She felt his hands hook around the back of her knees, holding her securely in place, and standing up.

The two both looked toward their friends, who were smiling like idiots.

The group made their way back to Mirasol's home, no one saying a word. Mirasol tried to focus on the fact that she was once again pressed tightly against the current love of her life, and tried to pretend she didn't suddenly feel like she weighed five hundred pounds. Every now and then she caught a whiff of his natural, herbal scent, and would breathe it in.

Oh, how he smelt like home.

Suddenly, Allen stopped the group about halfway to their destination. "Wait a minute," he said.

_Oh, God,_ Mirasol thought. _Please not another one of his bright ideas._

"What is it?" Amir asked.

"The doctor said for her to not do any work for the next three days. When I had the flu as a kid, my mom wouldn't let me leave my bed. Mirasol has animals and crops to tend to. Shouldn't she have someplace else to stay, and someone to take care of these things while she's gone?" He looked pointedly at Amir.

Amir, once again, was _very _quick to catch on. "I agree one hundred percent, Allen. Honestly, I think the best place for her to stay would be our home." Amir gestured backward the way they came, in the direction of the exotic mansion. "We do have extra bedrooms."

"Ithink that would be totally fine, Amir," Allen said. "After all, _I _don't have any extra bedrooms, and I know Neil wouldn't have her."

Sanjay and Mirasol watched as the plans unfolded without either of their opinions. It was decided that Allen would take care of the crops, Neil would be forced to take care of the animals, and Mirasol would remain at the exotic mansion for the next three, or four, or maybe even five days (for good measure).

Then, still having not been asked of her opinion, Mirasol was carried farther and farther away from her home, farther and farther away from her comfort zone. Now, Allen and Amir had migrated to the front of the group, Sanjay following not so close behind. The two chatted happily about things, Amir loudly bragging on his "polite and honorable" servant/close friend, and Allen loudly bragging on his "highly faithful and intelligent" best friend.

Some time later, Mirasol was lying cozily in a plush, king sized bed, pillows nearly suffocating her with every move. Allen sat at the edge of the bed, playing mother.

"Now," he said. "I'll be back to check on you in three days and Amir and I will decide if you're ready to leave. Enjoy your stay and give me a call if you need anything. Or if you would like to chat. Or if you've got anything special to tell me." He grinned.

She didn't say anything, only glared at him as he made his way out the door.

Within the next few seconds Amir and Sanjay had entered the room, Sanjay carrying a tray of tea and a bowl of soup and crackers. He laid the tray next to her on the bed.

"What am I supposed to do for the next three days?" Mirasol asked the two of them.

"Well, hopefully you'll be mobile by tomorrow," Amir said. "But in the meantime you really must rest. We may have some movies for you to watch, but they're probably in another language." He glanced around the room. "We may have some English books somewhere. If you would like anything, please feel free to ask Sanjay."

The two men bowed to her and exited the room. She sighed, glancing to a clock on the wall: it was already six. She turned on the television on the opposite side of the room, not even bothering to find a show she wanted to watch. Soon enough, she found herself easing into sleep.

Sanjay sat in his room, undoing the braid in his hair and readying for bed. He thought about Mirasol, staying in his home, wishing that somehow a miracle would happen and he could snap through all the stress of trying to woo the woman. How was she still oblivious to all that was going on? By now, even her friend Allen had noticed and was in on it.

Sanjay sincerely appreciated all the help he received, but was embarrassed by how blatantly obvious Amir and Allen had acted over it. Either Mirasol was pretending not to notice, or she was truly blind to his affection.

_I should do something to really catch her attention… _He thought, settling into bed. _But what could I do? _

_ Ah, well. No use dwelling over it now. I have three whole days to spend with her ahead of me._


	5. Chapter 5

**Guys, I am so sorry this one took so long and I'm sorry it's so short. I hit a bit of writer's block, and I got a new job.**

**I hope you enjoy! Thank you all for your feedback as well!**

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**Chapter Five**

The days went by for Mirasol without much excitement. She either milled around the house, laid in bed, or enjoyed cup after cup of Sanjay's tea. The two spoke every now and then, and Mirasol felt her nervousness begin to melt away. She spoke without blushing, she was unafraid to look in his eyes. They were becoming good friends.

The third day of Mirasol being at the exotic mansion, her nausea was almost gone and she could hold down more than a couple crackers and some water. She sat at the bar, watching Sanjay take care of the dishes.

"My favorite herb is lavender," he was telling her. "I love the scent and the floral taste. It's best for soothing headaches, insect bites, and relaxation in general." He put up the last dish, drying off his hands. "Not to mention the color is absolutely beautiful."

Mirasol loved listening to him speak. She'd gotten into the habit of asking questions on herbs or tea because when he got started, he wouldn't stop. He knew so much, could name all the uses, all the advantages, and would give her recipes. All the while she was paying more attention to the way his lips moved or his eyes lit up when he mentioned some of his favorites.

Sanjay turned around and placed his hands on the bar. His eyes wandered around the room for a moment, before they came to rest on Mirasol. "The ball is in about two weeks."

Mirasol nodded. "Do you think I'll be good enough to dance by then?"

"Of course. Honestly, I believe not many people in town know how to dance anyway."

Mirasol laughed. "That's true."

Sanjay studied her. Her skin was no longer the sickly white, and the color had returned to her cheeks. Since she'd been fallen ill her hair color had dulled—it was now back to the rich brown it had been.

_You're so beautiful, _he thought.

Mirasol glanced up at him abruptly. "What?"

Sanjay's stomach leapt. "Hm?"

They stared at each other with the same wide eyed expression, before Sanjay cleared his throat and looked down at his hands. _Had he really said that out loud?_

"I'm going to go see if Amir needs anything," he mumbled, and was quickly out the door.

Mirasol watched as the door swung shut, still gaping and red-faced. _Did Sanjay really think she was beautiful?_

Sanjay couldn't believe he'd actually made such a mindless mistake. He thought that was something that only happened in movies. His mind raced thinking about what Mirasol must have thought the moment it had slipped, and his face heated up every time he thought of it. Was that enough to let her know he actually had feelings for her?

He went to Amir for help.

After he'd admitted what he'd done, he stared angrily, arms crossed, at his friend who bent over laughing, hooting and slapping his knee. When he was done, he wiped his eye with a finger. "Sanjay, oh Sanjay. You are too funny."

"I'm being serious, Amir," Sanjay replied, not amused.

"Oh, I know, Sanjay. But don't you realize? Women love hearing such compliments. You should have told her much before now."

Sanjay's eyebrows knitted together.

Amir could see his servant's confusion. "Think about it, Sanjay. What if she'dtold youshe thought you were beautiful?"

Sanjay continued to look at his friend.

"I mean, if you were a woman, of course. And she was a man."

He blinked.

"Okay, okay okay. Never mind. Forget it." Amir waved a hand through the air. "What I'm saying is, she's probably thinking about it right now too. But in a good way. She's probably feeling all tipsy and twirly, or however it is women feel. Don't worry about it."

Sanjay was trying very hard not to worry about it. But when he made his way through, he made sure to peer quietly around the corners of the hallways before going down them, and he dared not enter any rooms without being sure Mirasol wasn't in them. At one point he'd heard her leaving her room, and had taken off in the opposite direction as quickly as he could to avoid any further embarrassment.

When the sun was making its descent down the sky, and Sanjay was preparing for bed, he stared out the window at a large oak tree that sat not too far away from the palace.

_I bet I could climb that tree, and never come back down, _he thought.

He was so afraid to speak to Mirasol tomorrow.

"Sanjay! _Sanjay!"_

Sanjay's eyes shot open to see Mirasol looming over him, and shaking him vigorously.

"What? _What?" _

"Come on! Hurry!" She grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of bed, while he clasped at his sleep robes, stumbling along behind her.

He ran behind her all the way past the kitchen and out the back door, and onto the porch. She stopped and let go of his arm, pointing out across the field and grinning at him in the growing light.

He drowsily followed the direction of her arm, looking past the grand oak tree, across the pool. Farther along, he saw a figure, standing still in the morning glow. He squinted, shielding his eyes to study the figure: the long, emerald hair, the lazuli dress, the way the sunlight seemed to project from it.

"It's the Harvest Goddess," Mirasol whispered.

He looked down at her. The way she was grinning up at him, the way her eyes were gleaming in the sunrise. His breathing shallowed.

"What do you think it means?" She murmured.

He could only look down at her. He knew what it meant, immediately knew what the Goddess was doing out there. He'd read the books, he'd heard it from the people that lived in town.

She saw his features soften, watched the creases between his brows disappear, and she knew it too.

Sanjay and Mirasol were meant to be.

He broke into a grin, and it was all he could do not to grab her and kiss her then.

He took ahold of her wrist and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. She smiled into his chest, inhaling his herbal scent. She grasped the front of his robes, pressing her face into him and pulling him closer.

Neither of them had ever felt more at home.

Across the field, the Harvest Goddess smiled at the two.

Aaron and Alice danced around her feet, yelping.

"Calm down, you two," she said down to the sprites. "I barely even did anything."

All she'd done was urge Mirasol easily out of her bed. From there, she'd sat back and enjoyed the show. She could feel both of their emotions wafting across the field, and she knew that all she had to do now was wait for the right moment, no matter how long it took.


End file.
